Philippians 3:1-11--Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ
3 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh-- 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

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Paul seems to be writing his conclusion and final words to the Philippian church here (Paul seems to be known for doxologies and benedictions in the middle of his letters because he'd start to end the letter and then remember something else he wanted to say).  In this case, Paul wants to leave them with the message (finally) that they should rejoice in the Lord.  He also adds that it's been no trouble at all for him to write to them, that it's safe for him to do so, and we know previously that it he has longed to get word to them to encourage them and to hear back from them (hopefully in a face-to-face meeting).

Paul now switches from encouragement to warning.  There are evildoers that Paul calls "dogs" that are out tear them to pieces.  My best guess give that Paul is once again talking about circumcision is that the Judaisers are still giving Paul and the early Church problems at this point.  Paul's response this time is that if anyone had reason to trust in his pedigree and good works outside of Christ, it was Paul.  He was a Hebrew of Hebrews--the kind of Jewish man that every Jewish mother wanted her boys to grow up to be like and probably the one they got sick of being compared to. I can hear them saying now, "Why can't you be more like Saul of Tarsus?."

But everything that Paul (at that time Saul of Tarsus) would have counted gain was utterly worthless when it came to salvation and had to be "counted as loss for the sake of Christ."  We must be "poor in spirit" realizing that we are spiritually bankrupt and have no currency with which to come and buy the salvation that God is offering.  It is not for sale, it is a "free gift," but at the same time, it will cost us everything.

Paul again reiterates that everything in his life before Christ is to be considered as rubbish (some translations might say dung)--anything worthless and detestable.  Paul can say this because of the surpassing value of Christ that everything else is worthless in comparison to His all-surpassing worth.   There is so much to gain here that it is worth the "trade" to give up all that we were to gain all that He is!

Paul lays to rest here the idea of being found righteous in any other way other than being found in the righteousness of Christ alone (as if that wasn't clear enough in the book of Galatians).  There is no righteousness that will be found in the works of the Law--only by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.  And what is the purpose of this?  That we might become more and more like Christ--even if that means sharing in His sufferings and death. so that we may also know the power of His resurrection and be a part of that resurrection to a body that is like Christ's and fit for an eternity in the kingdom of God..